This invention relates to a multi-ply mailer form and method and, more particularly to an improved mailer form suited for use by computer impact printers to produce a message on a ply while it is inside the mailing envelope.
The invention provides for a mailer form product that does not utilize the outside copy ordinarily used for follow up, but provides the means to produce an address viewable from the outside of the mailer envelope with other computer printed message only on the inside ply.
Mailer forms of the type which are the subject of this invention were first introduced with my U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,799. These used a ply over the mailer envelope to provide the address on the outside of the envelope by use of a carbonized spot and other computer printed message only on the ply inside the mailer by means of carbon paper, carbon spots on carbonless coatings inside the mailer. The ply over the mailer was regularly filed and used later for reconciliation and follow up.
The advent of greatly increased computer memory has eliminated the need for the ply over the mailer in many business systems so new methods to provide for separating the computer printed data to be on the outgoing mailer face and that on the plies inside the mailer are needed.
The Welsch U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,605 provided for a pattern of color developer in the outgoing address area on the face of the mailer envelope. A special computer ribbon with color former impregnation is used in place of the normal ink ribbon on the computer printer to form an image when impacted only in the address area coating. This system is deficient in that the special ribbon required is expensive and has a short life in that it can be run through only once rather than many times as is common with ink ribbons.
The Chang U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,386 provides a localized coating comprising both microscopic pressure rupturable capsules containing a chromogenic material and an electron acceptor material thus resulting in a self contained carbonless coating to receive the image in the outgoing address area. A plain uncoated nylon ribbon is used to replace the ink ribbon in the computer to reduce embossing of the impact type bars and to avoid the necessity of cleaning the type bars of ink. The plain nylon ribbon is low in cost and has a long life. The deficiency of Chang is that his coating is very sophisticated, hard to formulate, and not readily available in the marketplace. Also it is difficult to apply and dry in production.
It is an object of my invention to provide for the selected address area on the face of a mailer using readily available hot melt CB coating material that does not require drying. In one advantageous embodiment, the hot melt CB coating is used to also transparentize the face of the mailer to provide a window through which to view the address formed on the inside ply.
I had previously suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,416 the use of translucent material in a web in conjunction with an underlying carbon tissue and an overlying label. However, this translucency was of no value until the label and underlying carbon tissue was removed. In contrast, I provide here a transparent area from the very beginning--as would be required in a mailer because there is no provision in its operation for label or underlying carbon tissue removal.
It is further advantageous to add to the hot melt CB coating a small amount of adhesive to cause the transparentized window area to adhere lightly to the inside ply to enhance visibility through the address window but still enable the inside ply to be removed readily from the envelope.